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Let’s Talk Shirts…

Button down shirts are one of those things that I will always be searching for. They’re incredibly hard to fit off the rack for non model bodied people, yet are an essential part of your ass – kicking wardrobe. I know lots of women, plus size and fuller busted especially that have given up on the button down. Two things to that point:

Goes without saying that fit is important. Custom is obviously ideal, but even just buying a larger size and tailoring down works great. For custom, check out Sumissura. If you want a large size range so you can buy up and tailor down, make Lane Bryant or ASOS your first stop.

A quick note: for some reason retailers have forgotten that women tend to have smaller upper bodies and wider hips and make these long button downs that taper at the hips. If you’ve got any type of hip or belly, this is not going to work for you, so pay attention to cuts.

As paramount as fit is, if you have to work with off the rack or just have button down issues regardless, also think about fabrics. In my opinion, most button down shirts available off the racks for women are some cotton blend that is stiff and bunchy because of the way the fabric falls, or rather doesn’t. You know how those be-suited ladies on tv always look so calm and collected? They’re button downs aren’t trying to cut off the circulation in their armpits. You can achieve that by wearing a fabric like silk, rayon, satin, or a viscose blend that has a drape. Keep reading…

Some options in a range of prices. As you’ll come to find, I tend to go for sleek neutrals but I’ll try to be more diverse in subsequent posts.

MR is the standard in high – end plus so if the button down is a really important piece for you, go for the splurge if you can. Sadly, Marina Rinaldi does not ship directly to the US at the moment, so you’ll need to purchase through Saks, Shopstyle, or Bloomingdales.